Roller or bowl for providing a uniform pressure in the pressing of flat material, e. g., textile woven fabric runs



Jan. l, 1963 F. ULRlcHs ETAL ROLLER OR Bowl. ROR PROVIDING A UNIFORM PRESSURE IN THE PREssING TEXTILE WOVEN FABRIC RUNS OF FLAT MATERIAL, E.G. Filed Jan. 19, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet l /NKENTO'QS FRI TZ ULRICH! KARL-HEM: fig/Tran; F RIE DIY/6W Koll/VE Jan. 1, 1963 F. ULRlcHs ETAL 3,070,872

ROLLER OR BOWL FOR PROVIDING A UNIFORM PRESSURE IN THE PRESSING OF FLAT MATERIAL, E.G., TEXTILE WOVEN FABRIC RUNS Filed Jan. 19, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 awww @fron/vex' F. ULRICHS ETAL ROLLER OR BOWL. FOR PROVIDING A UNIFORM PRESSURE IN THE PRESSING Jan. 1, 1963 OF FLAT MATERIAL, E.G. TEXTILE WOVEN FABRIC RUNS Filed Jan. 19, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 F ...n M n @1nd MRIB Nwmx n NH Naam /HR Rb f-- FRM. UQN Num lm im M M e\ .ww m .MH Sa. Rv We .Hx Hsnln 0S S* S Q m e@ l H. l i Awb@ .UWM N .W HN Q u@ mm. www mm. .uw n fm /Q Q @.ml

#Tros/V575 Jam 1, 1963 F. uLRlcHs ETAL 3,070,872

ROLLER OR BOWL FOR PROVIDING A UNIFORM PRESSURE IN THE PRESSING OF FLAT MATERIAL, E.G. TEXTILE WOVEN FABRIC RUNS Filed Jan. 19. 1960 l 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 6MM-JAM Jan. l, 1963 F. uLRlcHs ETAL 3,070,872

ROLLER OR BOWL FOR PROVIDING A UNIFORM PRESSURE IN THE PRESSING TEXTILE wovEN FABRIC RUNS OF FLAT MATERIAL, E.G. Filed Jan. 19, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,erro/mty:

United States Patent O ice 3,070,872 ROLLER OR BOWL FOR PROVIDING A UNIFORM PRESSURE IN THE PRESSING OF FLAT MATE- RIAL, EG., TEXTILE WOVEN FABRIC RIJNS Fritz Ulrichs, Remscheid-Lennep, Karl-Heinz Heltkamp,

Herdecke, Ruhr, and Friedrich Kohue, Remscheid-Leunep, Germany, assiguors to Maschinenfabrik Friedrich Haas G.m.b.H. & Co., Remscheid-Lennep, Germany,

a corporation of Germany Filed Jan. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 3,429 Claims. (Cl. 29-113) This invention relates to a roller or bowl as it is sometimes called for producing uniform pressure during the process of pressing flat materials, such as textile woven fabrics run in their full width.

In the pressing of at materials by means of rollers in which the forces of pressure are carried by bearings at the ends of the roller, it is possible that the roller will bend in its middle section during the pressing operation, and this danger is greater in a long roller than in a shorter one. If the diameter of the roller is expanded, then the specific `surface pressure and the effect thereof are reduced, e.g., the squeezing effect in pressing a dyed fabric. On `the other hand, if the operating pressure applied to the roller or bowl is increased, the bending of the roller is also further increased.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a roller for pressing flat material in which, through simple means, a completely uniform pressure is obtained over the whole length of the roller during the pressing operation and any undesirable deflection of the roller surface is avoided. This purpose is attained by making the roller with a cylindrical shell and providing the roller with a cylindrical core which is situated within the roller shell but which has a smaller diameter than the interior diameter of said shell. This core is firmly attached to .the roller shell at each end thereof by a flange; and because of the smaller diameter of the core, there will exist between the core and the interior of the shell a cylindrical space. This space is divided lengthwise into a plurality of separate chambers by means of walls extending radially from the core to the interior of the cylinder shell, each wall extending the full length of said shell. Each chamber is completely filled with a pressure medium such as oil. Means are provided which places under uniform pressure the pressure medium in the individual chambers as they move successively into the line of pressure during the rotation of the roller. The portion of the roller which is applying pressure to the flat material at any instant, therefore, always subjects the ilat material to a uniform constant pressure. An advantage of this construction is that all the parts that are inside of the roller shell rotate with said shell; and, therefore, no friction or wear can result between said parts during the operation of the roller. This eliminates the necessity for any supervision of the inner parts during operation of the roller.

In the drawings which show several different embodiments of the invention,

FIG. 1 shows a roller embodying the invention which is shown partly in section and partly in elevation;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line II-II, FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section one the line III-III, FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross section on the line IV-IV, FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows in elevation a machine for pressing a web of dyed textile material, said gure illustrating three pressure rollers, two of which embody the invention described herein;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a roller embodying the invention but having a different construction from` that shownin l; A v

- rib and the interior wall of the roller shell.

Outsfsds @radially extending Swiss which terminate..

Patented Jan. 1, 1963v FIG. 7 is a sectional View of a roller illustrating a still different embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a section on the line VIII-VIII, FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a roller embodying still a different form of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a section on the line X-X, FIG. 9.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 4, the roller for pressing textile woven material shown therein has a cylindrical roller -shell 1 of steel which is entirely covered by any known means with a rubber coating 2. Inside the roller shell 1 there is provided a solid cylindrical steel core 3 which is situated concentrically with the roller shell 1. This core is longer than the roller shell and projects beyond the same at each end thereof. Said core is firmly attached to the ends of the roller lshell by means of two lianges 4, one at each end of the cylindrical shell, which are mounted on the core, as shown at 7. The periphery of each flange sets into a recess formed in the corresponding end of the roller shell and is secured thereto by screws 6 shown in FIG. 3, suitable packing 5 being interposed between the periphery of each flange 4 and the cylindrical shell 1 to make a tight joint. Each ange 4 is secured to the portion of the core which extends therethrough by means of wedges 7 or similar fastening means. The roller shell 1 and the core 3, which together form the body of the roller, are thus connected together and hence rotate in unison. In connecting each flange 4 to the core, care should be taken that a slight motion is possible between these parts, such as would result by flexing the core slightly. To provide for this, one or several Washers 36 of yieldable material may be provided between each flange and the core.

The entire roller, including the roller shell 1 and the core 3, is mounted in bearings 8 and 9 in which the ends of the core are supported, and said core at one end has mounted thereon a gear 10 by which the combined roller shell and core can be rotated.

As clearly `shown in FIG. 2, and as stated above, the core 3 has a smaller diameter than the interior diameter of the roller shell 1 so that a ring-shaped or cylindrical space is provided between the core 3 and the inside of the roller shell. This space is divided into a plurality of separate chambers 13 by means of ribs 11 which extend from one end of the roller shell to the other end and also extend radially from the core. These ribs are welded to the core and are thus rigid therewith. The outer edge of each rib, that is, the edge adjacent the inner face of the roller shell 1, is provided with a rubber strip 12 which extends from `one end to the other of the rib and provides a non-leaking but flexible contact between each For the sake of clarity, the rubber edge on each rib 11 is shown diagrammatically only in FIG. 2. Each rubber strip 12 permits a slight play or movement radially, but not tangentially, between the corresponding rib and the interior face of the roller shell, the purpose of which will be hereinafter referred to. A packing disk 35 overlies the inner face of each flange 4, and 4the periphery of each disk is clamped between the flange and the end of the roller shell. This disk makes a tight joint between ends of adjacent chambers 13.

One flange 4 has on its outer side a hub portion v15 which is supported in a stationary ring element 15 that in turn is mounted in suitable supports 17. A tight joint between the hub portion 15 and the ring 16 is provided by packing washers 22 and 23. Said Harige 4 is provided with a plurality of ducts 14, one for cach of the chambers 13, and each duct 14 communicates with the corresponding chamber 13. Said ducts 14 haveat their chamber 26 above the piston 28 is connected to a source of compressed air by means of a pipe 25. The compressed air in the chamber 26 is transmitted through the piston 28 to the pressure medium in the lower part of the cylinder 24 and thus into the pressure medium which lls the groove 18. The chambers 13 in the lower part of the roller which have communicationl with the groove 18 at any time will thus be subjected to the pressure of the pressure medium in the cylinder 24.

The upper groove 19 has communication through a pipe 21 with stabilizer 27 which is shown as in the form of a cylinder or tank that is open at its upper end to the atmosphere and therefore is subjected to atmospheric pressure.

The operation of the roller as above described is as follows:

After all the chambers 13 of the roller body have been completely lled with a liquid pressure medium, such as oil, and the pressure cylinder 24 and the stabilizer 27 are partly lled with the same medium, the pressure cylinder is then placed under pressure by the admission of compressed air into the chamber 26 through the pipe 25. This pressure is transmitted through the pipe to the pressure medium in the groove 18 and thence to the pressure medium in chambers 13 which have communication with said groove 18. The chambers 13 in the upper part `of the roller which communicate with the groove 19 are practically under no pressure because the fluid medium in the stabilizer 27 is subjected only to atmospheric pressure.

Since the chambers 13 in the upper part of the roller are practically under no pressure, the full operative pressure of the liquid pressure medium acts between the lower part of the roller shell 1 and the core 3.

Inasmuch as the pressure in the lower chambers 13 which communicate with the pressure cylinder 24 is distributed the full length of the roller, the roller shell which encloses said chambers 13 will be subjected to a uniform pressure from one end of the shell to the other; hence said roller shell will not be bent in any way when it meets a corresponding counter pressure from a counter roller, namely, the operating pressure in the pressing of woven fabric runs. Because of the presence of rubber edges 12 on the ribs 11, the core 3 can only bend against the roller covering and thus take the pressure forces which are carried outward and are resisted by the bearings 8 and 9.

These bearings may be adjustable by any known means through pressure cylinders and can be set at will for the appropriate required pressure which is to be applied to the llat material.

The core 3 may be rotated by any suitable means such as a gear 10 mounted on one end of said core, and such rotation is communicated through the flanges 4 to the roller shell 1 and the parts enclosed thereby. The ring 16, however, remains stationary.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the roller rotates in the direction of the arrow 29, the ducts 14 will come successively into register with the groove 18. Thus, the chamber'13 connected toA the duct marked 30 in FIG. 4 which hasv just moved into register with the groove 18 and which previously was not ysubjected to any pressure will be subjected to the full pressure of the pressure cylinder 24, and this pressure will be maintained until the duct marked 30 moves over into the position of the duct marked 31 in FIG. 4. As soon as the duct marked 31 moves out of register with the groove 18, then such pressure will cease. Inasmuch as the pressure medium is practically incompressible and the deections of the core are eX- traordinarily small, only a very small inconsiderable oil flow will occur into and out of each chamber. As a consequence, the change in pressure in each chamber as the corresponding duct 14 comes to register with the groove 1S will be very rapid and will immediately exist over the Whole length of the chamber. As soon as the duct 14 corresponding to any chamber 13 moves into a position in which it registers with the grooves 19, the pressure in said chamber will cease and the chamber will remain pressureless until its duct 14 again moves around into the position shown at 30 in FIG. 4.

With this construction, the portion of the roller shell which is resting on and applying pressure to the flat material will subject said material to a uniform continuous pressure.

The construction shown in FIG. 6 is similar to that 'shown in FIGURES 1-4 except that each chamber 13 is divided into a plurality of sub-chambers. FIG. 6 shows said chamber divided into three `sub-chambers 37, 3S, and 39 by means of intermediate partitions 46 and 47. By increasing the number of intermediate partitions, however, the number of sub-chambers can be varied. This arrangement offers the advantage that the sub-chambers can be placed under different degrees of pressure. When, for example, only narrow flat material is to be pressed, the outer sub-chambers 37 and 39 can be placed under small pressure or no pressure at all, while the middle sub-chambers 38 are operating with the required operating pressure. Thus, various possibilities or variations are provided for. As shown in FIG. 6, both the outer sub-chambers 37 and 39 are connected to a common pressure cylinder 40 and corresponding stabilizer 41, and the middle sub-chambers are connected to a pressure cylinder 42 and a corresponding stabilizer 43 by means of the pipe connections 44 and 45, as will be presently described. The intermediate partitions 46 and 47 are preferably steel disks welded onto the core and on their outer edges they also have rubber rings indicated at 48 which engage the inner face of the roller shell and provide al tight connection while permitting a slight radial movement between the core and the roller shell.

The means for connecting each of the sub-chambers 37 to both the pressure cylinder 40 and the stabilizer 41 is the same as that shown in FIG. l for connecting the chambers 13 to the pressure cylinder 24 and stabilizer 27. The ange 4a at the left of the cylinder shell is provided with a plurality of ducts 14a, one for each sub-chamber 37. Associated with said tlange la is a stationary ring member 16a having at its lower side an arc-shaped groove 18a and at its upper side another arcshaped groove 19a. As the roller shell rotates, the ducts 14a on the lower side thereof communicate with the groove 18a, while those on the upper side communicate with the groove 19a. The groove 18a is connected by a pipe 20a to the pressure cylinder 40, and the groove 19a is connected by a pipe 21a to the stabilizer 41.

The flange 4b at the right of the roller shell is also provided with ducts 14e, one for each of the subchambers 39, and said right-hand flange 4b has associated therewith a stationary ring 16h which has in its lower portion an arcuate groove 18C and in its upper portion an arcuate groove 19e. As the roller shell rotates, the ducts 14b in the lower part of the right-hand ange 4b move into communication with the groove 18C and those in the upper part move into communication with the groove 19e. The groove 18o is connected by a pipe 20c to the pressure cylinder 40, and the groove 19C is connected by a pipe 21C to the stabilizer 41. The sub-chambers 37 and 39 will thus be simultaneously subjected to pressure when they are located on the underside of the cylinder and will be subjected to no pressure when they are located on the upper side of the cylinder.

Each center sub-chamber 38 in the central part of the roller shell is connected by a pipe 44 or 4S to one of another set of ducts 14b with which the left-hand flange 4a is provided, and the stationary ring member 16a is provided with a second arcuate groove 18h in its lower portion and a second arcuate groove 19b in its upper portion. The groove 18]; is connected by a pipe Zub to thev pressure cylinder 42, and the upper groove 19b is connected by a pipe 2lb, to the stabilizer 43.

This feature of having the longitudinal chambers of the core divided into sub-chambers is advantageous especially if the roller is a very long roller. The idea of providing the anges on both ends of the roller with ducts and providing means whereby the pressure in a single pressure cylinder may be transmitted to chambers at both ends of the roller has its advantages if the roller is a very long one. The roller shown in FIGS. l and 6, therefore, has many different and varied applications. The number of the ribs 11 may be selected in relation to the operative pressure applied. In some cases, it may not be necessary to have the large number of ribs shown in FIG. 2 as a fewer number of chambers within the roller shell may answer the purpose.

It is also possible to install heating elements within the various chambers, thus providing a heated roller bo-dy. In such case, the pressure medium such as oil may be profitably used as a heat carrier. It should be pointed out that the rollers shown in FIGS. l and 6 can be rotated either to the right or to the left, thus making it possible to change the direction of rotation during the operation of the machine.

For the sake of clarity, FIGS. l to 6 show a relatively large Vcircular space between the core and the roller shell. In practice, however, this space can be vmade much smaller which would permit the use of a roller shell of smaller diameter than that shown in FIGS. l and 6. While the rubber edges 12 on the outer edges of the ribs 11 are shown only diagrammatically in FIGS. 1 and 2, it willl be understood that it would be possible to use rubber edges of any desired type such for instance as the so-called spreading rubber edges, the foot of which is solidly spread over the outer edge of a rib while both arms press against the inner wall of the roller body and provide positive packing even at high pressure.

Instead of the above-described pneumatic installation for the production of pressure in the pressure cylinders 24 or 40 and 42, a pressure oil pump may be used. Furthermore, a pressure regulator can be provided in the chambers within the roller shell to regulate the pressure to which the bearings 8 and 9 are subjected.

FIG. represents diagrammatically a dyeing apparatus with three transverse rollers 32, 33, and 34 arranged one above the other through which the dyed fabric is fed. In a machine of this type, it is advantageous to have both the rollers 32 and 34- constructed in the manner above described as thereby the fabric will be subjected to the same uniform pressure as it passes between the rollers 32 and 33 and again when it passes between the rollers 33 and 34. The roller above described is capable of general use where it is required to press iiat material lbetween a pair of rollers pressing against one another.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, there is shown a cylindrical roller embodying the invention in which the roller has a roller shell 49 of steel which is provided with a rubber covering 50 that extends the full length of the shell. Inside the roller shell 49 and concentric with it is a solid steel core 51. This core is attached to the roller shell by means of two flanges 52 and 53. The connection between the roller shell and the core is such that the rotation of the core is transferred to the roller shell, while the possibility of a slight deflection of the core in relation to the roller shell is permitted. Thus the construction provides a roller body which rotates with all its parts. One or several packing rings may be provided between each flange andthe core. The roller as a unit is. mounted in bearings 54,.55ar1dthe @remar be.

driven by a gear (not shown) mounted on the end 56 of the core.

As clearly shown in FIG. 8, the core S1 has a diameter only slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the roller shell 49. The ring-shaped intermediate space between the core 51 and the inside wall of the roller shell 49 is divided into several. individual chambers which extend lengthwise of the roller, three of such chambers being shown in FIG. S at 57, 58, and 59. These chambers are formed by convexly curved elongated rubber sheets which extend longitudinally of the core, three of such sheets being shown in FIG. 8 at 60, 61, and 62. The adjacent edges of adjacent sheets are clamped to the core, thus providing the chambers above referred to.

When these chambers are lled with a pressure medium, the body portion of each sheet is pressed against the inner surface of the roller shell as shown in FIG. 8. For securing the edges of the sheets to the core, the latter` is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 63a; and the adjacent edges 63 of any two adjacent sheets are clamped in one of these grooves by means of a clamping strip 64 which extends longitudinally of the core and is clamped thereto by screws 65. The ends of the chambers such as 57, 58, or 59 are closed in any suitable way. The sheets 61 may be constructed so that the ends of the sheets serve to close the ends of the chambers so that each chamber' will be protected in all directions against leakage of the pressure liquid.

The core is provided with radially extending passages or ducts shown at 66, 67, and 68 in FIG. 8, one of which ducts communicates with each of the chambers. Each of these radial ducts communicates `at its inner end with a longitudinally extending duct formed .in the core, two of which are shown at 69 and 70 in FIG. 7. One end of the core 51 extends through .a stationary ring-shaped member 71 which has in its lower portion an arc-shaped groove 18d and in its upper portion Ian arc-shaped groove 19d. The longitudinally extending ducts which are on the lower portion of the core, that is, the ducts indicated at 70 in FIG. 7, communicate with the groove 18d which is connected by means such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 with a pressure cylinder. The ducts in the upper portion of the core communicate With the groove 19d which in turn is in communication with a stabilizer such as above described. As stated above, when the chambers such as 57, 58, and 59 are filled with the pressure medium, the body of the strips 61 rest against the inside Wall of the roller shell, and there is therefore no relative motion between these parts.

This roller operates the same las the rollers shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. As the roller rotates, the pressure in the chambers located in the lower portion of the roller which is operatingvon the fabric to be pressed are subjected to uniform pressure from the pressure cylinder while the pressure medium in the chambers in the upper portion Vof the roller is released from pressure, although said chambers remain filled with the pressure medium. The working pressure by which the fabric is processed is thus mostly absorbed by the core, the insignicant bending of which in relation to the roller shell is not prevented by the connection of the flanges 52 or 53 to the roller shell.

In FIG. 9, there is illustrated another form of roller which embodies the present invention. This roller has Ia cylindrical shell 72 of steel which is covered throughout its entire length with a rubber coating 73. Each end of the cylindrical shell has secured thereto a disk 74 which closes the end of the shell. Each disk 74 has rigid therewith a hollow cylindrical hub member 75 by which the roller is mounted in bearings 76. The hub member 75, which provides an axle support for the roller, has a gear 77 mounted thereon which meshes with ya smaller driving gear 78 by which the roller shell is rotated. The axis about which the roller shell rotates is indicated by the line 79.

Inside, of the roller shell Vis located a core 80 which is preferably solid but which is mounted slightly eccentrically with relation to the roller shell 72. The ends of the core 80 extend through the hub members 7S of the roller; and at one end, the core extension has mounted thereon a gear wheel 84 which meshes with and is driven by a gear 85. The two drive gears 78 and SS may be driven from the same gear which is not shown. The two sets of gears 77, 78 and S4, 8S are so constructed that the roller shell and the core will be driven at the same number of revolutions per minute so that there is practically no relative motion between the core and the roller :shell in a tangential direction. The axis of revolution of the core is indicated by the line 83 and the eccentricity of the core relative to the roller shell is shown at 82. It may be added that for the sake of clarity, the degree of eccentricity has been somewhat enlarged in the showing in FIG. 9.

As will be seen from FIG. 10, the core 80 is formed in its surface with a plurality of parallel grooves 86 which extend longitudinally of that part of the core which is located within the roller shell. These grooves S6 provide between them longitudinally extending ribs 87, one such rib separating each two adjacent grooves. The sides of each rib S7 have rubber strips secured thereto which extend the length of the rib, the two strips enclosing each rib being shown at 8S and 89. These rubber strips thus surround each groove and may extend across the end of each groove. Said strips are wider than the ribs 87 and thus normally extend beyond the ribs and into contact with the inner surface of the roller shell 72. The ends of the grooves may be closed by rubber strips 90 in the manner described relative to the device shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

In this way, there will result individually closed cells or chambers 91 between the core and the inner wall of the roller covering 72. The core 80 is provided with a plurality of radially extending ducts 92, one duct communicating with each of the cells or chambers 91; and each of these radial ducts communicates at its inner end with a longitudinally extending duct 92a which extends nearly but not quite through the tip 93 of the roller. This end 93 of the roller extends through a stationary ring element 16d which is provided with a lower arcuate groove 18e and a separate upper arcuate groove 19e. As the roller and the core rotate, each duct 92, 92a will come into communication with the groove 18e while said duct is on the underside of the core and will come into communication with the groove 19e as said duct moves around the upper portion of the core. The duct 18e is connected by a pipe 20e with a pressure cylinder 97,

and the upper groove 19e is connected by a pipe 21e with a stabilizer cylinder 98 as shown in other figures of the drawings.

When the above-described installation is in operation, the two sets of gears 77, 78 and 84, 85 rotate the core 80 and the roller shell 72 Vat the same number of revolutions per minute as stated above. Because of the eccentric relation between the roller shell 72 and the core 80 as indicated at 82, and assuming that the roller shell and chamber are rotating in the direction of the arrow 94V in FIG. 10, the volume of each individual cell or chamber 91 will diminish in size as it moves into the lower portion of its circular path and will increase in size as it approaches and passes through the upper portion of its circular path. This is illustrated by the. relative sizes of the cells 95 and 96 in FIG. 10. It will be understood that each cell or chamber 91 is continually lled with pressure medium; and as each cell travels through the lower portion of its circular path and becomes connected with the pressure cylinder 97, the volume of said cell is decreased and the pressure therein increased, while when each cell or chamber passes through the upper portion of its circular path, the volume ofthe cell is increased and the pressure therein is decreased to the normal pressure produced by the stabilizer 9,8, With this construction, the

8 lower portion of the roller shell which is in engagement with the fabric being pressed will always -apply a constant uniform pressure to the fabric.

We claim:

1. A roller for pressing dat material, said roller having a cylindrical roller shell, a cylindrical core member within said shell and secured thereto to rotate therewith, said core having a diameter less than the interior diameter of said roller shell whereby a cylindrical space is provided between said core and said roller shell, means dividing said space into a plurality of chambers which extend from one end to the other of the roller shell, said chambers each being lled with a liquid pressure medium, means to rotate the roller, and means to place the pressure medium in each chamber under an increased pres sure as said chamber is moved by the rotation of the roller into and through the point where lthe roller shell is applying pressure to the flat material.

2. A roller fo-r pressing hat material as defined by claim l and which includes means to release the increased pressure on the pressure medium in each chamber as said chamber moves beyond and away from said point at which the roller applies pressure to the at material.

3. A roller for pressing flat material as dened in claim l in which the chambers are formed by ribs rigid with the core and extending radially therefrom and longitudinally thereof, the outer edge of each rib being of yieldable material which engages the inner face of the roller shell.

4. A roller for applying continuously a constant pressure to at material being pressed, said roller having a cylindrical roller shell, and -a core member within said shell fixed thereto, said core member having a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally thereof, rubber sealing means mounted on each rib and extending beyond the rib and into contact with the inner wall of the roller shell whereby separate sealed chambers are formed between the roller shell and the core, which chambers extend longitudinally of the roller and are filled with a liquid pressure medium, means to rotate the roller, and means to subject the pressure medium in each chamber to an increased pressure as said chamber is moved by the rotation of the roller into the portion thereof which is applying pressure to the flat material.

5. A roller for pressing Hat material as defined in claim 4 characterized in that the portion of the sealing means for each rib which extends radially beyond the rib has two edge portions which engage the inner face of the roller shell and are spread from each other in opposite directions.

6. A roller as deiined in claim 1 characterized in that the roller Ishell is secured to the core by flanges, one at each end of the shell, and one yat least of said ilanges has a plurality of ducts, one of which ductscommunicates with each chamber, a source of pressure, and means whereby the duct communicating with each chamber is brought by the rotation of the roller into communication with said source of pressure at the time when said chamber is in that part of the roller which is in engagement with the fabric and is applying pressure thereto.

7. A roller as dened in claim l characterized in that the roller shell is secured to the core by flanges, one at each end of the shell, and one at least of said flanges has a plurality of ducts, one of which ducts communicates with each chamber, a source of pressure, means whereby the duct communicating With each chamber is brought by the rotation of the roller into communication with said source of pressure at the time when said chamber is in that part of the roller which is in engagement with the fabric and is applying pressure thereto, and means to release the pressure in said chamber when it has been moved by the rotation of the roller into that portion thereof that is not applying pressure to the fabric.

8. A roller for pressing flat material, as defined in claim l in which the means for mounting the roller shell 011 the core member consists of flanges mounted on said core member and secured to the ends of the shell, at least one of said llanges having a'plurality of ducts, one of which ducts communicates with each chamber, each duct being open at its outer end through a portion of the cylindrical surface of the core and provided on its inner face with two spaced arc-shaped grooves situated opposite each other, means to rotate the roller, said open outer end of each duct coming into communication with the two grooves alternately, means to maintain one groove tilled with a pressure medium under a predetermined high pressure, and means to maintain the other groove lilled with a pressure medium under little or no pressure whereby as the outer end of each duct is moved by the rotation of the roller into communication with the groove having a high pressure, the pressure medium in the corresponding chamber will be subjected to said high pressure, while when said outer end of each groove is moved into communication with the other groove, the pressure medium in the corresponding chamber will be subjected to little or no pressure.

9. A roller for pressing dat material, said roller having a cylindrical roller shell, a cylindrical core member within said shell and secured thereto, said core member having a diameter smaller than that of the inside of the roller shell whereby a cylindrical space exists between the core member and said shell, means dividing said space into a plurality of elongated chambers which extend from one end of the roller shell to the other, means further dividing each of said elongated chambers transversely into a plurality of sub-chambers, each sub-chamber being filled with a liquid pressure medium, means to rotate the roller, and means for subjecting the pressure medium in a selected number of the sub-chambers of each elongated chamber to an increased pressure when said selected sub-chambers are carried by the rotation of the roller into the part thereof that is in contact with and applying pressure to the flat material being pressed.

10. A roller for applying a uniform pressure to at material while it is being pressed, said roller having a cylindrical roller shell, a core member within the shell, which core member is of a size to provide an annular space between it and the interior wall of said shell, means dividing said annular space into a plurality of separate sealed expansible and contractible chambers each of which extends longitudinally of the shell and is lled with a pressure medium, means mounting said shell and core to turn about diiferent parallel axes, and means to rotate said shell and core member at the same number of revolutions per minute whereby as the roller rotates each chamber is contracted as it is moved to the portion of the roller that is Iapplying pressure to the at material and is expanded when it is moved into the opposite portion of said roller.

11. A roller as defined by claim 10 characterized in that the roller shell and the core member are each mounted -to rotate in separate bearings and are driven by gears from a common power source.

12. A roller for pressing at material as defined by claim 1 in which the means for dividing the cylindrical space between the roller shell and the core into a plurality of separate chambers extending longitudinally over the core, includes a plurality of elongated sheets of elastic material which extend longitudinally of the core, and means for clamping the adjacent edges of each two adjacent sheets to the core thereby forming the required chambers, the body of each sheet being forced against the inner face of Ithe roller shell by the pressure of the pressure medium in the -corresponding chamber.

13. A roller for pressing at material as defined by claim 1 in which the means for dividing the cylindrical space between the roller shell and the core into a plurality of separate chambers extending longitudinally of the core, includes a plurality of elongated sheets of elastic material which extend longitudinally of the core, and clamping strips for clamping the sheets to the core, each clamping strip engaging the adjacent edges of two adjacent sheets and thus clamping them tightly to the core.

14. A roller for pressing tlat material, said roller having a cylindrical roller shell, a cylind-rical core member within said shell having a diameter less'than the interior diameter of said roller shell whereby a cylindrical space is provided between said core and said roller shell, means dividing said space into a plurality of chambers, said chambers each being lled with a liquid presure medium, means for rotating said roller shell and said core member in unison, and means to place the pressure medium in each chamber under an increased pressure as said chamber is moved by the rotation of the roller and the associated core member into and through the point where the roller shell is applying pressure to the llat material.

l5. A roller for pressing flat material, said roller having a cylindrical rotatable shell, a cylindrical rotatable core member within 4said shell, there being a space between said shell and said core member, means dividing said space into a plurality of chambers which extend parallel to the axis of the shell, said chambers each being filled with a liquid pressure medium, means to rotate said roller shell and said core member simultaneously, and means to place the pressure meduim in each chamber under an increased pressure as said chamber is moved by the rotation of the roller into and `through the point where said roller shell is `applying `the increased pressure to the dat material. 

1. A ROLLER FOR PRESSING FLAT MATERIAL SAID ROLLER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL ROLLER SHELL, A CYLINDRICAL CORE MEMBER WITHIN SAID SHELL AND SECURED THERETO TO ROTATE THEREWITH, SAID CORE HAVING A DIAMETER LESS THAN THE INTERIOR DIAMETER OF SAID ROLLER SHELL WHEREBY A CYLINDRICAL SPACE IS PROVIDED BETWEEN SAID CORE AND SAID ROLLER SHELL, MEANS DIVIDING SAID SPACE INTO A PLURALITY OF CHAMBERS WHICH EXTEND FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER OF THE ROLLER SHELL, SAID CHAMBERS EACH BEING FILLED WITH A LIQUID PRESSURE MEDIUM, MEANS TO ROTATE THE ROLLER, AND MEANS TO PLACE THE PRESSURE MEDIUM IN EACH CHAMBER UNDER AN INCREASED PRESSURE AS SAID CHAMBER IS MOVED BY THE ROTATION OF THE ROLLER INTO AND THROUGH THE POINT WHERE THE ROLLER SHELL IS APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE FLAT MATERIAL. 